GOVERNMENT LIAISONS

As an organization, the NSMA, is engaged and annually meets with:

  • USDA - FSIS (United States Department of Agriculture - Food Safety and Inspection Service), Washington, DC

  • FDA (Food and Drug Administration), College Park,MD

 

The NSMA covers areas of concern on such issues as:

  • Nitrites - Maximized effective use of sodium nitrite with   meat industry and USDA. Maximized the risk of carcinogenic nitrosamine formation

  • Cures - Worked with USDA to develop industry SOP of a separate cure package to eliminate potential of nitrosamine formation in seasoning

  • Irradiation - Clarified FDA definitions and regulations on use of irradiation for NSMA and its specific application

  • Reaction Flavor and Labeling – Equalized the declaration of non-meat protein percentages between reaction flavors and seasoning blends.  This initiative precipitated the full disclosure of all ingredients in flavors.

  • Natural Spice Labeling – Influenced FSIS to allow spices to be declared as “natural” even when “bacteria-treated”

  • Spent Paprika - Received [with ASTA] rapid response from FDA in 2008 to clarify spent paprika labeling requirement